NASHVILLE – Citing American patriots such as Thomas Paine, James Madison, Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry, Judge Roy Moore lit a fire in the hearts of tea partiers tonight – inspiring four impassioned standing ovations with his reading of a “bill of particulars” against President Obama.

Moore, WND columnist, author of “So Help Me God” and candidate for governor in Alabama, began by quoting Thomas Paine as he made his case for independence from England:

“These are the times that try men’s souls,” he told a packed banquet room at the first national tea-party convention in Nashville.

“Once again we live in a trying time, not just trying to the souls of men and women, but the soul of our nation,” he continued. “Once again, people across our country are rising up, tired of politics as usual, angry about the direction of our country.”

The recent elections in New Jersey, Virginia and Massachusetts send a strong message to the Democratic Party that Americans are weary of the direction in which the nation is headed, he said.

“Equally, if not more importantly, the election in New York sent a strong message to the Republican Party that we’re tired of liberal Republicans who don’t hold the principles of their party,” he told a cheering crowd.

Judge Roy Moore signing books, with his wife, Kayla

Moore condemned “senseless treaties” like the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, and the Central America Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA. He said the nation’s borders have been opened to criminals and terrorists, the Constitution discarded, the federal government grown in size and scope “far beyond anything our founders ever imagined,” and the nation’s debt is soaring.

“Our state sovereignty, routinely ignored by an all-powerful federal bureaucracy, and our concept of virtue and morality has been distorted and twisted to a point that good is now called evil, and evil is now called good,” Moore said. “I’ll tell you, ladies and gentlemen, we not only find ourselves in a great economic recession, but in a great moral and spiritual depression as well.”

The convention attendees took to their feet as the room instantaneously exploded in cheers.

“I admit that often it is not easy to identify those responsible for these ills in our society, for they call themselves Democrats and Republicans,” he continued. “They call themselves conservatives and liberals. They pose as Christians and non-Christians.”

However, Moore said those responsible have a few things in common.

“They hate our country and our past,” he said. “They have no regard for our beloved Constitution. They have a love of wealth and power more than of liberty and freedom.”

He added that they have yet another thing in common: They don’t quit.

“One of those who said he didn’t quit is our current president, Barack Obama,” Moore noted.

He then began to paraphrase the Declaration of Independence. But rather than addressing grievances to the king of Britain, Moore presented Obama with his own “bill of particulars”:

He has ignored our history and our heritage, arrogantly declaring to the world that we are no longer a Christian nation. He’s elevated immorality to a new level, setting aside the entire month of June last to celebrate Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender pride.

He now threatens to change our law, 10 U.S.C. Section 654, to allow homosexuality in our military in direct opposition to the law which says that the attempt to engage in homosexuality will create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability.

He has apologized to the Arab world for our past, subjugated our national sovereignty by bowing down to the king of Saudi Arabia.

He has pursued a socialist agenda by taking control of private companies and pushing a national health-care plan with a public option. Backed by a willing Congress, he has bought off our senators and our representatives with our own money in an effort to mandate this agenda. And when opposed by members of the Senate, he smugly smiled and said, “I won.”

Moore concluded his list with a direct quote from the Declaration: “A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”

Judge Roy Moore’s campaign for governor in Alabama

Once again, the crowd went wild with applause.

Then Moore recalled a moving speech from another famous patriot – Patrick Henry.

“Our chains are forged!” he declared. “Their clanking may be heard [in the halls of Congress] on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable – and let it come! I repeat, we must let it come.

“It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace – but there is no peace. … Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? … Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

The room erupted in cheers and booming applause once more – this time lasting several minutes.

“This tea-party movement is big,” Moore explained. “It’s waking up our country. There is a battle around this great nation. Every one of you – black, white, young, old, Republican, Democrat, Christian and non-Christian – is part of that battle.”

He continued, “We will either preserve our republic and our faith in God, or we’ll have them taken from us. Go forth, armed with the holy cause of liberty.”

As the speech ended, tea partiers streamed out of the banquet room doors, armed with copies of Moore’s book, “So Help Me, God.”

Ron Foreman, an attendee from Arkansas, reacted to Moore’s speech:

“Outstanding!” he exclaimed.

St. Louis, Mo., resident Glenn O’Bryan called the speech “terrific,” saying he was motivated to come to the convention by his love for the country.

O’Bryan said, “I’d like to see the tyranny put in check.”

Jack and Joan Billman, residents of Greencastle, Ind., said they believed the speech was “very appropriate.”

“Certainly the comparison between what took place with the founders and what needs to be taking place now is so very, very apparent,” Jack told WND. “Everybody talks about the need for fewer taxes and smaller government. But if our politicians would just follow the Constitution, all of those problems would be taken care of.”

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